Game Day: Grizzlies (2-2) @ Suns (1-3), Wed 10/29/25

[ShelC]

Also, I'm not out on Book but his body language isn't great from what I'm seeing. He's looked pretty down and frustrated, which is understandable right now but I wanted to see more oncourt leadership and positivity this season and it hasn't looked like that's been the case. I'm obviously not around the team or the lockerroom so it's just what I can take away watching from home. Hoping we can get back to full strength and get some wins.

[Gladiator]

I love Book and I really love that he wants to win with the Suns. But increasingly I don’t see how we make that happen paying him what we are. And if you add the dead money we’re paying to Book’s salary, it’s brutal.
I don’t want to trade him at all but it’s getting harder to rationalise not doing so, if we could get a great haul in return.

[ShelC]

Every team is paying someone that money. We need to reallocate money from the perimeter guys (Royce/Allen or Green) to a PF.

I just hope he doesn't get so frustrated with a rookie head coach and a roster like this year's and ask out next year. I'm against pro actively trading him but I also don't trust anything Ishbia or Gregory say.

[specialsauce]

Trade him before you're stuck!!!

Trade him to Philly for VJ, a first round pick, and Paul George's corpse

[Superbone]

Down one, we shouldn't have been shooting a three to win the game. Not smart. Book was hitting his midrange in the 2nd half. Should have at least been that but I would have preferred getting it to Williams down low.

[virtual9mm]

Just dropped two games, one in overtime and another by 1 point on a go-ahead bucket that missed.

Had the Suns won both, we'd be 3-2 and everyone would be talking about how surprising they are.

[Kryptonic]

Just dropped two games, one in overtime and another by 1 point on a go-ahead bucket that missed.

Had the Suns won both, we'd be 3-2 and everyone would be talking about how surprising they are.

[ShelC]

I am trying to look at the silver lining that we're missing a bonafide scorer in Green and are just starting to utilize Mark Williams. We also haven't had Brooks for 2 games. But you are what your record says you are and we can't dig this deep of a hole this early in the year.

[Mori Chu]

Just dropped two games, one in overtime and another by 1 point on a go-ahead bucket that missed.

Had the Suns won both, we'd be 3-2 and everyone would be talking about how surprising they are.

I said it before and I still feel the same way: I think this team is going to almost-win 55 games but actually-win 27 games. Our defense is too porous to hold leads in crunch time and we don't have enough go-to scorers behind Booker to come back and win if we're down near the end. But we can still learn and grow as we figure things out.

[JustWinBaby]

My main issue is that we lost to both the Jazz and the Grizzles. Both of those games were winnable.

We need to remember that we traded KD for three players and none of them played against either of those teams and we still almost won. I did not like how we lost either of those games, but I will wait for JGreen and Brooks to join Booker on the court. I see that trio as part of a winning core going forward. My complaints are related to Maluach and Fleming not playing while Livers, Hayes David and Oso see get consistent minutes. I hope that changes going forward. I really want to see what Fleming can bring to the party along with Maluach. I expect Ott is giving Hayes David time due to his stellar play in Europe last year. He is not good and I am one that liked his acquisition. Oso need to be benched along with Livers. Dunn has not improved at all.

In the end I think we are getting what we expected if we are being honest. Mark Williams has been great. Let's hope he can stay healthy. A Williams / Maluach center rotation could be real nice down the road. Not having Allen playing the JGreen role could be the biggest improvement.

[ShelC]

Lost by 1

[iLLmatic]

Trading for Durant ruined any chance Book has with winning long term with Phoenix. I called it when we made the trade and it’s unfolding now. Our only way out of this is to hit the eject button and get what we can for him and start from scratch.

[O_Gardino]

Royce looks like he's still playing on last year's team half the time.

[Mori Chu]

Trading for Durant ruined any chance Book has with winning long term with Phoenix. I called it when we made the trade and it’s unfolding now. Our only way out of this is to hit the eject button and get what we can for him and start from scratch.

Problem is, the best action would have been to trade Booker to Houston to get our own picks back. That's what we really need. But instead we somehow traded them KD and did not get our future picks back somehow, and now I doubt they are still interested in also trading for Booker and reuniting the 2024-25 Suns juggernaut core.

I don't think it will help us too much to trade Book for a couple of picks from some other random team. There might be a trade out there but I'm not sure what it is. Maybe to OKC for some young talent and like twelve future 1sts? That might do it.

[Mori Chu]

My main issue is that we lost to both the Jazz and the Grizzles. Both of those games were winnable.

We need to remember that we traded KD for three players and none of them played against either of those teams and we still almost won. I did not like how we lost either of those games, but I will wait for JGreen and Brooks to join Booker on the court. I see that trio as part of a winning core going forward. My complaints are related to Maluach and Fleming not playing while Livers, Hayes David and Oso see get consistent minutes. I hope that changes going forward. I really want to see what Fleming can bring to the party along with Maluach. I expect Ott is giving Hayes David time due to his stellar play in Europe last year. He is not good and I am one that liked his acquisition. Oso need to be benched along with Livers. Dunn has not improved at all.

In the end I think we are getting what we expected if we are being honest. Mark Williams has been great. Let's hope he can stay healthy. A Williams / Maluach center rotation could be real nice down the road. Not having Allen playing the JGreen role could be the biggest improvement.

I really like the points you make in this post. We didn't have any of the 3 guys we got for Durant, and we still almost own. We should see what kind of team we have once Green is back. And I strongly agree that we should be playing our rookies some consistent minutes to let them grow (or else send them to the G-League for a bit to develop, rather than having them rot on the bench).

[The Bobster]

I'm really looking forward to Booker being on the team in 2029 while making $69 million.

[Mori Chu]

I'm really looking forward to Booker being on the team in 2029 while making $69 million.

The cap will be like $250m by then. Booker (a genuine star) making max money is the least of our problems.

[O_Gardino]

I'm really looking forward to Booker being on the team in 2029 while making $69 million.

I'm not turning off the tv until I see Booker getting 69.

[Furlanfufi]

We all watched last year's team being a disaster when 1 or 2 of the big 3 were out. We are missing 2 of our medium 3, so I'm expecting them to lose (we are expecting to lose even with them, right?).

[TOO]

I'm really looking forward to Booker being on the team in 2029 while making $69 million.

I'm not turning off the tv until I see Booker getting 69.

This is only funny when the Suns are good.